Byun Yo-han added to Mr. Sunshine’s star lineup

They’re really bringing out the big guns for Mr. Sunshine, aren’t they? After casting a major film star (Lee Byung-heon, Inside Men) to headline, the current film industry It Girl as his love interest (Kim Tae-ri, The Handmaiden), and rising leading man Yoo Yeon-seok (Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim) to play a tragic second lead, the production has confirmed adding Byun Yo-han (Six Flying Dragons) to join the period drama set in the early 1900s around the righteous army that rises up against Japanese oppression. Just in case any of us were still on the fence and needed this extra push to tune in.

The drama stars Lee Byung-heon as a man who was taken away as a young boy to the United States following an armed conflict between America and Korea in 1871, who returns to his homeland years later when stationed there as a U.S. soldier. Writer Kim Eun-sook explained that she wanted a lead who was a strong actor and good at speaking English, which makes Lee a perfect fit. Kim Tae-ri plays an aristocrat’s daughter with whom both the hero and the second lead (Yoo Yeon-seok) fall in love.

Byun Yo-han will play a character who is described simply as “appearing like an immature playboy, but has a warm heart.” That’s not much of a description, but it’s one I can at least readily picture Byun Yo-han portraying, since he does charming, playful, and warm-hearted so well.

Mr. Sunshine will be the third collaboration between writer Kim Eun-sook and director Lee Eung-bok, following massively successful Descended From the Sun and The Lonely Shining Goblin, so naturally there are high expectations for this drama to be similarly successful. It’s a tall order, but it seems this team has cracked the code on worldwide popularity, so if anyone could threepeat, it would be them.

Mr. Sunshine is being planned for a premiere in the first half of 2018.

July 18, 2017 at 6:32 AM

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I guess I should've said TLS?? Third-lead?? I am not a fan of either LBH or YYS (I know, I know, it's sacrilege around here to say that about YYS, but I can't help it! The heart finds boring who it finds boring!), so this show is just not appealing to me at all...or at least it wasn't until this announcement was made. I'll at least give it a chance, but I'm just not sure I can make it through a whole drama with both first and second leads I don't like.

July 18, 2017 at 3:13 PM

July 17, 2017 at 9:10 PM

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Byun Yo Han needs to be the first lead in another drama, not what seems to be a third lead? I've loved him ever since Misaeng even though I didn't even like the drama. I'm definitely watching this for him and Kim Tae Ri.

July 17, 2017 at 9:21 PM

July 17, 2017 at 11:28 PM

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He definitely has the acting chops/screen presence/good looks (we all know that's a major requirement too) to lead his own drama, but the pull of starring in a surefire success by the industry's biggest hit maker is understandably huge and it might help him actually get cast as a lead in dramas on one of the big 3 channels. It should be a smart career decision for him in theory. I really hope he'll luck out with the character, wouldn't be the first time a secondary/tertiary character steals some of the spotlight.

July 17, 2017 at 9:25 PM

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I wish I could erase my memory of him being a dirty man. The age difference can be overcome if they have chemistry and she is charismatic enough to hold her own against him and even though she looks like a child next to him because she's so baby-faced, but I don't think I'll ever be able to get over him being a dirty man saying romantic lines.

July 17, 2017 at 9:41 PM

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I miss Byun Yo-han in dramas, he's been away for a while, I was re-watching his scenes as Ddang-sae just before seeing this news so I'm glad he's back, just no heartbreak for him please, Yoo Yeon-seok is enough, I can't with two heartbreaks!

July 18, 2017 at 9:55 AM

July 17, 2017 at 10:07 PM

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Geez. When did Yoo Yeon-seok sign on? Where have *I* been? DB's my second home and I missed this?
While these are big names and talented actors, I'm not jumping up and down from excitement about the casting because I'm not really a big fan of any of them (yet). I like Yoo Yeon-seok. I've only seen Byun Yo-han in Misaeng and liked him there. I saw a little bit of The Handmaiden, and liked Kim Tae-ri, too. As for Lee Byung-heon, I've only seen him in Memories of the Sword. Lol, I don't know why I felt the need to share all that. Basically, this is definitely a solid cast. Will be checking this out.

July 17, 2017 at 10:10 PM

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No no no no, I was going to skip this drama but now my baby just signed on. It has been forever since I heard any news about him and was hoping for something good but now this. Awww....It will be good
exposure for him though. Well, I will just watch his parts or wait until he gets another role. Damn you Drama Gods/PD/Writer

July 17, 2017 at 10:30 PM

July 18, 2017 at 12:23 AM

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Yes. That Smile. Years ago, I decided that Byun Yohan's smile is my favorite. I have a lot of favorite actors and actresses with charming smiles, but this guy... this guy got me with that smile of his. And I'm not quite sure why or how.

July 19, 2017 at 3:16 AM

July 18, 2017 at 6:25 AM

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I saw him in Misaeng and he was so great. He portrayed his role so well and I grew to love his character more and more. What draws me in about his smile? I don't know how to explain this but to me, I always feel like he is sad even when he is smiling. A sad smile, that's what he possesses.

July 17, 2017 at 10:35 PM

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it is so weird, even though I became a big fan after Six Flying Dragons, I can never recognize him? He somehow manages to look like a different person in every picture with different clothes and different smile. I have to stare a little while to register that it is the same person.

July 18, 2017 at 11:38 AM

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Agreed. Byun Yo-han does have this chameleon-like quality about him. ..... I'd say that this serves him quite well in his dramas because they've all been so different and he's been good in all of them.

July 17, 2017 at 11:06 PM

July 17, 2017 at 11:20 PM

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Dammit. Why does Byun Yohan have to be in this, too?

Even with the rich period setting and the wonderful, wonderful not-lead actors, I'm afraid Kim Eun-sook will just zero-in on her pet romance plotline, as always. Y'all know this is bound to happen, right?

Having said all these, Show casts two of my boys and there's just no way in hell I am not watching this. Ugh.

July 17, 2017 at 11:28 PM

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Kim Eun Sook sure is a powerful writer, if only other great writers/pd had her influence to cast great actors. I get so tired of seeing good writer/pds having to cast in mediocre actors due to sponsorship.

July 21, 2017 at 7:43 AM

That woman is still in my sh!t list but at least, with her, the drama will be evocative and fresh(and think of the wonderful OST!!, she has the best OST's).

As for me, I'm looking forward to this drama(but not the recap comment sections because we all know the many people that are saying they'll stay away, won't. Then they'll come into every recap and bitch about it...*shudders*)

July 18, 2017 at 1:08 AM

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*sigh* There goes another one. If I were still in my early phases of drama watching I'd probably be happy about it but at this point I just can't. Goblin was tremendously better than DotS simply because the actors were much more talented and magical creatures are cooler than abtastic soldiers. But even Gong Yoo can't keep me glued to the screen (I wished he could since he did exactly that in Big). I'll probably check this out for curiosity's sake. Maybe this time sheer talent (in this case, it's almost overwhelming) can overcome Kim Eun-sook's rather, um, uninspiring script. And I hope the three young leads can go buy themselves some solid real estate or something after all this is well and done because I hope money is why they're on board. Otherwise... *shakes head*

July 18, 2017 at 2:33 AM

July 18, 2017 at 4:29 AM

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Oh I'm so excited to see him on a drama screen again! I've been wondering where he was and what he was doing. Now that Im Siwan is going to the army, the possibility of a sequel to Misaeng this year is disappearing, I wondered when I would watch Byun Yo Han on the small screen. So I'm signing on to this drama despite the male lead...

July 18, 2017 at 6:34 AM

July 18, 2017 at 8:23 AM

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I really don't know about this drama, especially because with the casting of the first and second male leads I am almost guaranteed to suffer second male lead syndrome. I understand that the writer wanted someone who is fluent with English, but why couldn't she cast someone who is at least a little close to the heroine's age? Add to that, that the heroine has a baby face (I've seen her picture). I've also not liked any of this writer's new dramas. However I guess I will check this out (at least the first ep) for curiosity's sake.